First of all I want to separate between Amnesty International and Amnesty Norway. Amnesty International is a very important organization who is fighting human rights violations, fighting against death penalty and many other cases. They have millions of cases and make a very important difference.
Back to Amnesty Norway. There is among 100 000 members, and about 30 employers, a large organization in Norway. The purpose is supposed to be the same as for Amnesty International as far as I know. Amnesty Norway was recently very involved in the so called Marie Amelie-case. In that case you can be pro or con her being sent out of the country. But there weren’t any human rights violations made by the Norwegian state in this case. Policies, laws and regulations were followed to the letter by the state without any abuse at all. It’s not abuse to arrest and exercise a person who has stayed illegally in a country for many years. Exercises like this happen in every country in the world. Marie Amelie will probably be back in Norway soon, legally this time. Based on this it’s very strange that Amnesty Norway has engaged themselves so much in this case and totally ignored the Congo-case. I have to ask why it’s so: Amnesty Norway can hardly have missed the case. It has probably been between 40 and 50 000 articles in Norwegian press, one of the largest in history. Two Norwegian men have been exposed to torture, fake executions, forced confessions with a gun to their heads, kicked and beaten during questioning, abused during decease etc. they don’t get food, water to drink or medication. They have to buy everything themselves. Human rights violations on a daily basis. Here is my question: Why hasn’t Amnesty Norway reacted to so severe human rights violations? They are also sentenced to death. That is also one of Amnesty responsibilities to object to. Not one word from Amnesty Norway! I call that a scandal of epic proportions. Ironically the address to Amnesty Norway is the same as the lawyer that represents the boys. They could just walk upstairs and get all the information from him. They didn’t even have to walk outside! It hasn’t happened as far as I know! I’m convinced of the integrity of Amnesty International. But I question the integrity of Amnesty Norway when they don’t react in the Congo-case. They can’t have missed it. I also sent them an e-mail asking them to get involved. I haven’t gotten an answer to my mail. NRK locally addressed the case today, February 4th. But the Information Officer at Amnesty Norway was “not available”! I have to ask what the reason is to a very strong commitment in one case and total absence in another, much more severe case. It can’t be a political agenda! Because according to their easements Amnesty isn’t going to have a political agenda. That would be a betrayal to all of the members who don’t agree with their political stands, but who’ve paid because they are against the death penalty, torture and human rights violations. Someone could take it further and say that if there is a political agenda in an organization that are supposed to be apolitical, where people with all political believes pay dues the organization is corrupt. I don’t claim anything, simply asking the question WHY Amnesty Norway aren’t involved? They should at least answer me, when I ask them in a mail. NRK got an answer from the leader of Amnesty where they claim to work for all the prisoners in Congolese prisons, and can’t consider two Norwegians. In that case they’ve done a horrible job in all of Congo’s prison, because the conditions are terrible. This is of course nonsense. Of course they can work on individual cases. That was very clear during the Marie Amelie-case. There have been worse cases than the Marie Amelie-case in Norway as well without any involvement from Amnesty Norway. Maybe it’s about time that Amnesty’s many members start to question if the leadership in Amnesty Norway is the right one.
Knut Moland, February 4th 2011
This article can be reproduced in the press, but not single sentences taken out of context.
